1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an accessory for a laptop computer; more specifically to a device to cool the lower surface of a laptop computer while making the use of the laptop more comfortable for the user.
2. Description of Related Art
Laptop computers are extremely popular for users who travel a lot or who need to take their computer to a work site. To enhance their portability, these computers are designed to be as lightweight as possible and to pack a large number of electronic devices into a relative small package.
Because of the density of electronics inside the laptop, a number of strategies have been used to provide adequate cooling to the components inside the computer, using heat pipes, radiator fins, and fans. However, for at least some models of laptop computers, the lower surface of the computer becomes quite hot during operation. If adequate ventilation to this surface is not provided, overheating of the internal components may result along with possible malfunction. Additionally, if the user is using the laptop on their lap, it becomes uncomfortable to continue working.
Several external devices have been implemented to either provide further cooling for the laptop or to insulate the user from the heat. To improve the comfort of the user, several products provide a barrier between the user and the computer while providing ventilation space underneath the laptop. The additional airflow can provide passive cooling for the computer, but no active cooling is performed.
Another external product adds directly to the cooling capacity of the laptop, by providing an additional fan which plugs into the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) socket. The fan draws power from the laptop and forces additional air into the case, which then flows out the vents normally provided. While this device does appear to improve the airflow through the computer, the specific layout of each laptop will determine how effective this fan can be at cooling. (One particular review of the PCMCIA fan-cooling device found that the laptop would stay cooler longer, but would still become uncomfortably hot during prolonged usage.) Additionally, such a device would take up one of the limited number of PCMCIA slots available to the user.
It would be advantageous to have a device that provided both comfort to the user and cooling to the internal components of the laptop, while not blocking the use of other features on the laptop.
This innovation provides a method and device for protecting a laptop user from excessive heat from the laptop, while at the same time providing additional cooling to the laptop itself. In one embodiment, a heat sink is sized to fit into a case shaped like an open box, with the heat sink closing the top the box. The heat-radiating surface of the heat sink sits within the case, while the opposite side is planar, so that a laptop computer can sit on it for cooling. Air inside the case is forced out the back by fans on this surface, while the front of the case (but preferably not the sides) has numerous air inlets to aid the flow of fresh air. Attached to the lower surface of the case is a thin layer of a cushioning material, providing both a soft surface and insulation from the heat sink. In at least some embodiments, a nonskid surface is formed on a portion of the planar surface of the heat sink, preferably near the edge. Preferably, the fans are powered through a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug and preferably they are tied to smart power management logic.